It’s Okay To Be The “Political One” In Your Friend Group

Image Credits: Lilly Pulitzer

You read the books, watch the polls, and are always in-the-know when it comes to American Politics. While most of your friends are watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians or HGTV, you can be found curled up on the couch with your cup of coffee watching Fox News and reading up on each new Republican candidate as they enter the race. While this might seem weird to some of your friends, others know they can always come to you for advice and information during election season- and it’s completely okay.

Being the “Political One” of your friend group is nothing to be ashamed of, it’s  actually something to be very proud of. Sadly, in this day and age, there aren’t enough strong, politically-conscious young ladies out there. Sure, knowing what’s going on in the lives of Kendall and Kylie can be fun to talk about, but in the long run, they won’t have any real effect on history. The American government might seem dull and boring to some people, but once you really start to get involved and start to become more knowledgeable, it’ll really start to pay off in the long run! Lets look at some reasons why it’s okay to be the “Political One” of your friend group: 

You’re the go-to of your friends when a major scandal hits the news: Hillary’s E-Mail scandal? You got it. Bridgegate? Been there, done that. As major scandals come to light, your friends will often catch wind of them. News outlets love to over-broadcast when something scandalous happens in politics, forcing these topics on people until they can’t help but talk about them. Luckily for you, you’ve already done your research, so when friends start asking questions, you know exactly what to say. 

You’re always prepared to share your opinion during a political debate: Have you ever been scrolling through Twitter when you see two people you follow start to get into it over a political issue? When tossing facts back and forth turns into calling names (which it often does) you’re the one who can step in a set the record straight. Being informed can not only help you out of sticky situations, but it also might save a friendship or two.

Knowing your stuff can also help in classes: From AP American Government in high school to Poli-Sci 101 or Political Debates, knowing what’s going on currently, along with what has happened in the past can give you a leg-up on your classmates, and might just impress your teachers or professors! Being able to put complicated terms and policies into context when looking at real-world examples can help tremendously in all classes, but being able to connect it to something you’re already passionate about might even make class fun! 

While those are just three of the many reasons why it’s okay to be “The Political One”of your friend group, hopefully it’s given you a new outlook on how getting involved and becoming informed can actually help you! I’d like to leave you with this- never let someone pass judgement on you just because you’d rather watch the news than MTV. You’re preparing yourself for the future, all while being ahead of the game right now.